Таємничий острів

           "Wellsaid,"remarkedPencroft."Itistobehoped,too,thatthisisland,ifitbeone,isnotsituatedjustoutofthecourseofships;thatwouldbereallyunlucky!"

           "Weshallnotknowwhatwehavetorelyonuntilwehavefirstmadetheascentofthemountain,"repliedtheengineer.

           "Butto-morrow,captain,"askedHerbert,"shallyoubeinastatetobearthefatigueoftheascent?"

           "Ihopeso,"repliedtheengineer,"providedyouandPencroft,myboy,showyourselvesquickandcleverhunters."

           "Captain,"saidthesailor,"sinceyouarespeakingofgame,ifonmyreturn,IwasascertainofroastingitasIamofbringingitback—"

           "Bringitbackallthesame,Pencroft,"repliedHarding.

           ItwasthenagreedthattheengineerandthereporterweretopassthedayattheChimneys,soastoexaminetheshoreandtheupperplateau.Neb,Herbert,andthesailorweretoreturntotheforest,renewtheirstoreofwood,andlayviolenthandsoneverycreature,featheredorhairy,whichmightcomewithintheirreach.

           Theysetoutaccordinglyaboutteno’clockinthemorning,Herbertconfident,Nebjoyous,Pencroftmurmuringaside,—

           "If,onmyreturn,Ifindafireatthehouse,Ishallbelievethatthethunderitselfcametolightit."Allthreeclimbedthebank;andarrivedattheanglemadebytheriver,thesailor,stopping,saidtohistwocompanions,—

           "Shallwebeginbybeinghuntersorwood-men?"